DUCHESS/OPEN DOOR

As I explained in my previous review for the "Misunderstanding" / "Evidence of Autumn" single, the "Duke" album was a tranistional period for the music of Genesis, still trying to decide to play some Prog Rock songs, and in the other part having the desire to leave the seventies behind and to finally become a Pop Rock band. "Misunderstanding" and "Turn it on again" were Pop Rock songs also released as singles and also successful. But, in the case of this single, it was a strange release, in my opinion, because both songs were more Progressive Rock in style. "Duchess" as a single only reached the Number 46 in the U.K. popularity singles charts (without appearing in the U.S. charts), so I think that for Genesis it was an indication of how they should procede in the eighties: in a more Pop Rock musical direction.

"Duchess", composed by all the members of the band (a thing they were going to do more in the eighties) is a more Prog Rock song, with very good drums by Collins, with very good musical atmospheres created by Banks (Keyboards) and Rutherford (guitars and bass pedals), and with lyrics which are about an artist who see how her successful years are away in the past. Maybe the lyrics of this song show that the band wanted to say goodbye to Prog Rock to survive the new musical enviroment of the eighties, a time when the "old" bands were considered as "Dinosaurs". They had to change to survive, so Genesis, like other Prog Rock bands, had to change their musical style to survive. This was seen by the old fans as a betrayal, but the band had to do it. Anyway, with the passing of time, their Prog Rock albums are considered as their best by their fans, not matter the more commercial success that their Pop Rock albums had.

"Open Door" , like "Evidence of Autumn", is also a nostalgical song, this time composed by Mike Rutherford. The lyrics are hard to understand (at least for me), but maybe are about another broken love relationship. This song is very good, but again, I think that it wasn`t included in the "Duke" album because it didn`t fit in the general musical style of the album. So, it was destined to the "B" side of this single. It is similar in style to "Snowbound" (also composed by Rutherford but included in their "...and then there were three..." album), with very good musical atmospheres played with 12 string guitar and keyboards, but this time without drums. Collins` vocals are also very good. "Open Door" is also like a Farewell to the seventies, in my opinion.